I
Friend Al: Well old pal I bet you did not never think you would be geting a letter from me from the middle of the pacific Ocean and of coarse you are not realy geting it from the middle of the Ocean because I will not male it till we get to japan or Yokohama or 1 of them places but you will be geting it from more then the middle of the Ocean because before you get this letter this letter will of been acrost the Ocean onct and then back acrost the Ocean the way wear going opisite to. and Im not going to male this letter in 1 letter but I will try and write some thing evry day wear on the Ship bord and then male you a hole lot of letters to gather when I male them when we land and it will be just like as if you was a long when you read the letters. I thot at 1st I would write a letter evry day to Florrie and I all ready started writeing to her before I beggun this letter to you but then I remmembered a bout she saying onct that she would rather get a post card from me then a letter because when she got a letter from me she all ways expected to see a check drop out of it and was dissapointed but she knowed I wouldent be recklest enough to send no check in a post card and I guess Al you know I got more sence then that to. So when I get acrost to Japan I will buy a hole bunch of post cards the prettest pitchers I can get a hold of and send her enough so as she can fill up a alban up with them if she likes.
I says I would write some thing to you evry day Al but I ment evry day from now on because we all ready been out on the Ship bord over 2 days and I did not write nothing them 2 days on acct. of not feeling good. I must of ett some thing there in Seattle that did not aggree with my stumick because I been in bed ever since we left the Victoria B.C. and was not able to obtane no food on my stumick and I was in awfull bad shape Al and I called for the Dr. thats on the Ship bord and had him come in to my birth and see me and he says whats the trouble and I says my stumick was all set up and he says I had Maul the mare or some thing and he says pretty near evry body on the boat was sick so I thot for a minut that we must of all of us got posoned at 1 of them banquits but I found out after words that the rest of the people that was sick was sea sick on acct of the Ocean water being ruff so I guess the banquits was all OK and it must of been some thing I ett a lone at 1 of them restrunts in Seattle.
The Dr. says they was 0 he could do for me but I was just to lay still and Id get over it but when he told me to just lay still he might is well of told me to cut my hare with the pianno stool because they was not no chance to lay still on acct of the boat typing back and 4th but this a.m. the Ocean water was not ruff no more that is not as ruff as it had of been and I got up and drest a bout 11 a clock and I thot I would in joy my dinner but when I got in the dinning room I felt kind of set up again and all as I could get a way with was a little soup and I never seen so much to eat in my life Al and me being in there where they was so much to eat and in able to eat nothing a tall was just like as if a man would go up to hit against 1 of them rotten pitchers like Allen and find out he had left his bat in the club house.
well pretty near evry body that was sea sick was all OK again and the boys was all most of them laughing at each other for geting sea sick and I says to them you fellows must have a stumick like a baby or some thing geting sea sick when you only been on the Ocean 2 days and dutch Schaefer was standing there and he says where you been your self the last 2 days and I says I ett some thing in Seattle that posoned me and he says that was the trouble with me to I ett some rat poson thinking it was tooth paste and I did not say nothing back but I seen he was not telling the truth and just trying to make them beleive he was not sea sick because rat posen dont look no more like tooth paste then 2 peas and it comes in a tin tub that you squeze it out on to your tooth brush.
Well Al I feel like as if I could eat some thing for supper and pretty soon I got to beggin changeing my cloths because all the boys has got to ware there evening cloths at supper and it seems kind a silly changeing my cloths when I aint only had these cloths on me since 11 a clock this a.m. and I aint played ball or done nothing to dirty them up but may be after evry bodys saw us in our dress cloths onct they will be satisfide and we can ware our reglar cloths to supper after tonight and if not I will put on my evening dress sute pants and shirt and so 4th when I get up in the a.m. and ware a swetter over them till it comes time for supper and then I wont half to waist ½ my time changeing cloths.
Well old pal I wont write no more today because I want to go out on the porch and get some fresh air before I beggin dresing and I was out there a wile this a.m. and its mighty funny Al looking a round all over and all as you can see is water and not no land no wheres tho theys nothing in the way and I guess a man with good eye site can see pretty near a mile in evry direcshon. I wisht I could of hit that 1 I hit off of Walter Johnson that day out here on the Ocean where they aint no fence or club house to stop it and I bet them outfielders would not never of found the ball because it was hit like a shot and was still going up when it bumpt in to the club house. Well Al remmember me to Bertha and Im all OK and haveing a grate time only Id kind a like to see Florrie and little Al for a minut even if they was cross the both of them. I will try and write some more tommorow and Im going to leave this letter lay a long with the rest of them I write and send the hole lot of them to gather all at onct.
Old Pal: well Al I had an other bad night on acct of eating to much for supper last night but you cant hardily blame a man for eating a little some thing when his stumicks been vacant for over 2 hole days on acct of me geting posoned in Seattle. the Ocean was awfull ruff again last night and I just found out that we come pretty near geting recked on acct of it being so ruff and the way I found out steve Evans thats 1 of the players from the Nat. league took me up to the capt of the Ships ofice this a.m. and the capt left us look at his dairy and it says in it that the water tight doors worked and Evans says if it had not of been that we was in danger of geting recked the capt would not of tride the doors to see weather they worked or not and the water tight doors is some thing like the storm doors that you got on your house to keep from geting cold in the winter only they stick them a round the out side of the porch so as when the waters so deep that the porch is under the water it cant get in threw the doors and on to the porch and drowned us and it all so says in the dairy that they was 200 and 65 knots and Evans says that means that the capt counted that many in the doors and if some of them ever busted out and left knot holes it would be all off with us.
Well Al this p.m. we been playing shovvle bord and its a game where you slide some round iron things a long the floor and see how clost you can get them to a certun line and it counts so much and you can curve them like a base ball only of coarse you cant only curve them out and in and cant get no sharp brake down like I got on my curve ball only when my fast 1 is hoping threw there you might all most say I dont need no curve ball. I made the rest of them look like a sucker in this here game we was playing and I had not never tride it before and it just shows that all games is a pipe for a man thats a naturel athalete and I guess its a good thing for some of them would be star foot ball players that I dident never but in to that game.
I got to change my cloths again for supper pretty soon and I dont mind it now Al on acct of the way the evening dress sute sits on me and steve Evans says it fits me like the cloths Bert Wms. wares on the stage fits him and hes a acter. the pants and vest and cote is plane black with a seem runing up and down the out side and in side of the pants legs and the cote dont quite button to gather on me yet but dutch Schaefer says I could button it OK if I could get my stumick posoned a couple more times like I done in Seattle and not eat nothing for a wk. and he is all ways puling stuff like that. Comical stuff. But I dont care if it ever buttons to gather or not because I would keep it opened up any way so as to leave the vest and shirt show threw because thats the way they look pretty only I wisht Florrie was here to fix the shirt up for me because they made a miss take and put button holes on the both sides of the boozem insted of buttons on 1 side and button holes to button the buttons on to on the other side and I half to keep the shirt buttoned up with them little black wooden tax that you get from the landry. I got a nice black 4 in hand ty to go with the sute and Callahan seen me comeing out of my birth room last night with my yellow shoes on and told me they dident go good with the rest of it and to go back and put on my slipers so I had to open up my uneform role and get them out. I was a pitcher Al when I was all fixed up and I dont mean no braging but a mans got to be put up right to look good in 1 of these here evening dress sutes and not no little scrimp or sod off or no big long string like this here weilman that pitchs for St. Louis and he should ought to be driveing a hack the lucky left handed stiff.
I got the cloths roled up in my uneform role that is the pants and vest and cote on acct of Mcgraw teling me to not leave them hanging up in my birth room or 1 of the waiters might come in and see them and think they was hisn. And all so he says they might may be skrink if they was left out where the damp air could hit them and the next time I got them on I might may be half to leather my self up and shave them off of me with a razor. Hes a grate joker Al and all OK when you know him and he is tickeled to deth a bout me going to pitch for his club on this trip insted of the White Sox but I guess the fellows thats got to hit against me aint what you could call them tickeled hey Al. Its may be a good thing Callahans got a picked up team with sam Crawford and Speaker and Evans and some of them outsiders on it because I would feel like a murder pitching against the reglar White Sox bunch because if they was in base ball on acct of there hitting they would be driveing a dray or some thing.
Friend Al: Well Al I promused I would write some thing to you evry day and here I have not wrote nothing yest. or the day before and it was because my stumick went back on me again Al and evry little wile I think its going to be all OK and then it gos back on me again. But I ett a big supper tonight and still got it with me so I guess Im all OK again but I wisht I could find out what was it that posoned me in Seattle and where I got it at and I bet I would sew the mare of the town for liable on acct of the dammige to my stumick and a place like that should not ought to be aloud to run.
the Ocean waters been ruff again and dutch Schaefer was teling me that the Ocean was named the Pacific ocean on acct of it being peace full and not ruff because thats what pacific means peace full and not ruff and Schaefer says the man that named it must of been sarcasticle and not ment what he said when he named it pacific and if the man that named it pacific was nameing the White Sox he would name them the deman slugers and if he was nameing N.Y. city he would call it the sumitery and if he was nameing the St. Louis browns he would name them the worlds champions and then Schaefer says If that man was nameing me insted of calling me herman Schaefer he would be sarcasticle and name me rotten hitter and then I says what do you suppose would he call me and Schaefer says he would half to call you a ball player. so you see Al he knows I can field my position and hit that old pill besides how I can pitch.
Well Al Im going to tell you some thing now and I bet you wont beleive it Al but its true and I just found out a bout it wile I was writeing this letter and wile I was writeing it some body raped on the door of my birth room and I says come in and Steve Evans come in and says what are you doing writeing a letter and I says yes and he says o I thot you was laying bricks and I says what would I be laying bricks out here in the middle of the Ocean and he says who you writeing to your wife and I told him no I was writeing to a pal of mine and he says do you mind showing me the way you got your letter date it and I says no and he looked at the top of this letter and seen where I had it date it Nov. 26 and he says your wrong and I says why and he says because this is the 27 and I says wasent yest. the 25 and he says yes but todays the 27 because we run acrost the line in the Ocean today at 520 a clock tonight where they drop out a hole day and I thot at 1st he was kiding but he was in ernest all right and thats what I was going to tell you a bout Al. You see they aint no Nov. 26 where wear at because they drop the hole day out and this is the 27 where wear at and the 26 in Chi and Bedford and the reason they drop it out here is on acct of us crossing acrost the line in the Ocean that they call the date line see Al. So Evans says you better change the date on your letter or you will get all mixed up and I says no because if I changed it I would get worst mixed up then if I dident change it and Evans says all right sute yourself but some day next summer you will be in there pitching against the Detroit club and it will be Russells turn to pitch the next day and Cobb will be a hole day a head of you and he will think its Russell pitching insted of you pitching and probily hit 1 out of the park. I says Cobb or no body else cant hit 1 out of the park off of me when Im right and Evans says no I don’t supose they can but this is 1 time you wont be right because youll be wrong if you dont take my add vise and change the date so then he went out and I was going to change the date but then I hapened to think I better not because if I changed the date and Florrie kept on useing the regular dates I might say I was comeing home on the 10 of March and it would be the 9 or 11 of march on her calendar and she might be out some wheres and not in when I come home and out to the nichol show or some wheres and besides we would all ways be argueing a bout when was little Als berth day and so 4th and we got enough to quarl about with out no more to quarl a bout. So Im going to keep on with the reglar dates like as if I dident know nothing a bout what I been teling you but theys still an other thing yet that Evans says and that is that Florrie will get lone summer for me then Ill get for her because on acct of us looseing a day and her not looseing a day I wont be a way from her as long is shes a way from me and an other thing he says was that my dress shirt and coller that I ware a long with my dress sute should ought to be glad to have the day droped out so as they could have a hollow day. Evans and Schaefers all ways puling funny stuff Al and you cant hardily help from laughing all the wile there talking to you.
Well Al tommorows thanks giveing weather its the 27 or the 28 and wear going to have a big time on the ship bord and the capt of the ships going to give a banquit and our hole partys invited and wear going to pull off some grate stuff. Schaefers been lerning us to sing a song he got up and its a dutch song and some of the boys is going to make speechs and sing solos by them self and what do you think Im going to do Al and I bet youll be supprised when I tell you. Schaefer come up to me and says I got you down for a stunt on the program for the banquit and I says what can I do and Schaefer says Well we was all trying to think and they wasent no body could think of nothing you could do and they was going to leave you off of the program but I says they must be some thing you could do or else the lord wouldent let you live and it must be some thing that dont take no thinking. So I says well what do you want I should do and Schaefer says well you can write some poultry and speak it. And I says what a bout and he says a bout the trip a round the world that wear makeing so I says I would try and now I will quit writeing this letter and try and fix up some poultry and I will half to get up and speak it in front of the hole crowd includeing the wommen because theys a bout 14 of the party got there wife a long. some stunt hey Al but if I did not have all the nerve in the world I would not be where Im at. I got to quit for now and fix up some peace to spring on them.
Old Pal: Well Al we was up so late on acct of the banquit that I wasent going to write you no letter tonight and I got my cloths off and went to bed but I got up again and Im writeing this letter with a swetter on over the out side of my night gown and I dont know why is it but latly I cant sleep good and besides that as soon is I get to bed Im trouble with insomia. we had some time at the banquit Al and several of the boys told storys and sung songs and Schaefer and the boys sung the song that Schaefer got up and the name of its the garden house and its mostily in dutch and Callahan told some irish storys and Evans told some storys and then they finely called on me and Schaefer interduced me and he says I take plesure in interduceing the long fellow of the party and he ment me tho I aint quiet as tall is jim Thorp the indian thats a long with us but Im build pretter then he. And Schaefer says I would resite a reginald peace of poultry that Id wrote my self so evry body claped there hand and I had to get up and I was a little nervus on acct of the wommen in the party but I seen they was all waiting I should beggin so I cut lose and I will copy down the peace I wrote Al so as you can see what I sprang on them:
It was in the year 1913
when the boys says good by to there girl
And got on the bord of the Umpires of japan
For to make the trip a round the world.
The Chicago White Sox and the N.Y. giants
was the teams makeing the trip.
and the White Sox did not have there own team
But some boys from other clubs that can hit.
and the N.Y. giants nether one
Had there own team a long on the trip
But some boys from
out side who can hit.
And the Ocean water was ruff
the 1st few days on the trip
And some of the boys was to sick
To in joy the trip.
but finely the Ocean water got less ruffer
and then evry body shout hurrah
and they come out on the porch of the Umpires of Japan
To talk with Comiskey and Callahan and Mcgraw.
And now there giveing us a banquit
To the boys a long on the trip
And I will resite this little peace
that I wrote a bout the trip.
so heres to Comiskey and Callahan and Mcgraw
Who are takeing us a long on the trip
they May win the penant next summer
And fight fer the worlds champion ship.
Im going to pitch for the N.Y. giants
because Mcgraw was short.
But when the season opens next April
I will be in there wareing the White Sox
And giveing Callahan the best I got.
Well Al you should ought to of herd them cheer when I got threw and set down and I wisht Florrie could of been here and herd it and I will keep a coppy of the peace and say it for her when I get home or may be by that time I will have it lerned by heart with out no coppy. But Schaefer says I got to write an other peace for the next banquit they have and it looks like I would be busy now they know I can tare off them pones and I dident know it my self till I tride it just like I never knowed I could throw a slow ball till I tride it on Cobb and he looked like a sucker.
Well old pal I must try and get some sleep and last night I just layed there all night wondring how is Florrie and little Al geting a long and it kind a chokes me up Al thinking a bout not seen them till a long in march some time and if it wasent for the good time Im haveing I would wish I had of stayed home.
Friend Al: Well old pal when I tell you whats come off you wont make no holler a bout me not writeing to you for 3 or 4 days and they was severel times when we was all pretty near finnished and I thot we was gone and Florrie and little Al would be a widdow and you wouldent have no old pal to write and tell you what come off and I did not know the hole story till today and all as I knowed was that we was with in a ace of geting recked and besides that the poson I got in Seattle come back on me but I dident know a bout us geting atacked till today.
the Day after thanks giveing the Ocean water got ruff again and they was a snow storm and evry kind of an other storm and the water was so deep that the front and back porchs was both of them under the water and the capt him self thot it was all off with us and hung up the water tight doors all over the porch but they must of had some knot holes in them this time because the water come right threw them and the wind was blowing between 11 and 12 and Evans says it dont hardily never blow after ½ past 10 and we had to go faster on acct the back end of the ship was falling Aft in the trought of the Ocean water so you can see we was in awfull shape and I only come out of my birth room onct in 3 days and could not eat nothing and besides what was the use of filing your self up full of food when it looked like we was going to get sank and the heaver a man is he will sink that much sooner. But finely the storm let up and we was all OK and I got to feeling all OK and I got my cloths on yest. and come out and then was when I herd a bout us geting atacked. if it hadent of been for steve Evans Al it would of been all off and worst then if we had of just got drownded and I dont know where he lerned all he knows a bout fish and how to scare them but its a good thing he knowed what to do when this come off because even the capt of the Ship was scarred and did not know what to do. I guess you know the pacific Oceans full of grate big fish and sharks and 1 shark a lone is biger then all the blue gills or bass in the world put to gather and 1 shark by there self cant do nothing to you unlest your swiming in the water and they get after you but they cant do nothing to you when your on the Ship bord unlest theys a hole lot of them to gather and the night before last night the capt of the Ship seen a School of Sharks comeing at the boat and when theys a lot of them to gather they dont get scarred but there vissus and mean and come right at a Ship and run in to it and knock it over and they couldent do it if the Ocean water wasent ruff but when the Ships all ready typing on acct of the storm it aint no trick to push it over. well the capt seen them comeing and he called all the crews and says what should they do a bout it and 1 of the crews says he had a pistle in his grip and would shoot at them so he went and got his pistle and shot all the bullits they was in it at the School of Sharks and they did not pay no a tension and kept comeing and the capt beggin to holler and some of the ball players herd him and come runing out and they dident know what to do and finely dutch Schaefer says steve Evans would probily know what to do so some body went and called Evans out of bed and he come out there and seen what was comeing off and says to the capt have you got a bell on the Ship and the capt says yes certunly because they ring a bell to tell the time instead of a clock so Evans told him to go get the bell and the capt did not know what for but he got the bell and Evans held it over the side of the boat where the sharks was comeing and beggin ringing it and sure enough the sharks quit comeing at the boat and turned a round and went back where ever they come from. The boys is talking a bout buying a little present for Evans when we get to japan because of him geting us out of danger and I will go in on it Al if they ask me because look where we would of been at but for him knowing that trick a bout scarring the sharks and I says to him when he got threw teling me the story Where did you lern that trick and he says he all ways knowed it ever since he was a kid that it was the way to get rid of a School of Sharks but you could not get rid of 1 shark that way but only a School of Sharks so I says why and he says the minut a School of Sharks hears that bell they think recess is over. So you see Al how lucky we was to have him a long and even the capt of the Ship dident know the trick.
so when you see what we been going threw I guess you wont find no falt a bout me not writeing for a few days. This was a pretty fare day and some of the boys was out on the porch skiping the rope and exerciseing but I was not feeling good and did not do nothing but set a round and wear do in Yokohama in less then a wk. now and I will be tickeled to deth when we get there and no more danger only Larry Doyle the capt of the N.Y. giants says we wont never be safe as long is Klem the umpire is a long and I says why not and he says because Klem will say wear out weather wear safe or not so you see Al the Nat. league umpires is just as bad is our league. There all rotten.
Friend Al: well Old pal may be I wont be on this trip much longer and may be I will see you yet before the winters over and it all deppends on if I get a letter or not in Yokohama or that is if theys a letter waiting there for me when we get there or not but even if I was to give up the trip and come on home I probily wouldent see you because the reason Im may be comeing home is because ether Florrie or little Als sick and I would half to stay in Chicago and take care of them and could not drop down to Bedford unlest they got all OK again and I could bring them a long with me.
I and dutch Schaefer had breakfast to gather this a.m. and he was reading some thing and I ast him what was he reading and he says he just got a telegram from Chicago where he lives at in the winter and the telegram was from some of the boys just to tell him that evry thing was OK and I says I wisht Id get a telegram from my famly and find out how was they geting a long and Schaefer says did I mean to tell him I had not herd nothing since I left the U.S. and I says thats right I had not herd nothing and he says why all the rest of the boys on the Ship bords had telegrams and letters from there wife or there friends and then he says I should think you be worred a bout them not hearing nothing and I says Well I havent herd nothing and I am worred and I says how could I get a letter from them out here in the middle of the Ocean and Schaefer says No of coarse you could not get no letter unlest your wife maled it special the Livery and she probily dont know nothing a bout that but I should think she would of wired you a telegram. I says I bet ether her or the kid is sick and I wisht I could go home and Schaefer says why dont you wire them a telegram and find out how there geting a long and I thot for a minut I would Al and I ast Schaefer how much would a telegram cost from here where wear at and he says Only a bout $24.00 dollars. Hows that for robbers Al but I wouldent stop at no amt. of money if I thot I could find out how Florrie and little Al are geting a long only it would be foolish to send them a telegram and wear so clost to japan now where I can male them a post card and besides Schaefer says theys sure to be some male waiting for us at japan or Yokohama and I says I guess I would wait till we get there. Then Schaefer says Yes but if you dont get no male there you better jump us and go home and I says I wouldent want to go right back acrost the Ocean and go threw all that again right a way with out no rest and he says Why dont you go the other way a round by the R.R. and I did not know they was an other way to get back accept the way we come but Schaefer says Sure theys the over the land rout to go back on and it dont only take a little over a wk. to go that way. And you go threw russia and Jeruslum and Cuba and Pru and a round threw canada and catch the N.Y. central at Niagera falls and theys extra excurson fair now on acct of the elks convension and thats what Im going to do Al come home by the R.R. if they aint no letter for me at Yokohama and Comiskey and Callahan will see how it is and wont be sore at me but supose they should get sore whats the diffrunts and Im not going to fool around on no world trip when little Al and Florrie needs me and how would I feel if I was fooling a round here and some thing happened and they must be some thing wrong or I would of got a telegram but I will wait and see is they any male for me at Yokohama.
So I says to Schaefer I would probily leave the trip at Yokohama and he says I would to if I was you only you better wait till wear in china because thats where the landrys are at and you can give that dress sute shirt of yours a treat and I says may be there might be a landry in Yokohama and he says Yes may be they might be 1 but just 1 wouldent do that shirt no good. But Im not going to miss no train for no shirt Al and if I can start home the same day we get to Yokohama I wont wait a round for no landry and besides a man dont half to put on no full dress sute evry time you eat supper on the train. Well Al if I dont get no male from home you can figure Im comeing home and I will write to you from Chicago or may be if Florrie and little Al aint to sick you can come up and pay us a vissit.
They been takeing moveing pitchers of the whole party out on the porch today and its been a grate day and I was in all the pitchers and its grate weather and evry thing would be fine if it wasent for Florrie and little Al being sick or they would of wired me a telegram.
Al: Well Al we will be safe in Yokohama the day after tommorow and theys only a bout 35 hrs. more we got to stay on the Ship and I cant hardily wait till we get to Yokohama and see weather theys any male for me from Florrie and little Al and if Im comeing strate home or stay on the trip.
I have not told ether Callahan or Comiskey yet a bout me probily going home from Yokohama but I will half to spring it on them as soon is we land on acct I got to get some money off of them to pay for my fair on the train and Schaefer says he hasent got no idear how much will it be but the reglar fair is a bout $32.00 and probily on acct of the rates it will be some wheres between $16.00 and $48.00. what ever it is I guess they will give it to me and if they dont I can borry it off of Mcgraw but I guess Comiskey and Callahan will give it to me because they wouldent dast not give it to me or I would jump to the federal.
Well Al I had the old uneform on for a wile today and tride my arm out a little only of coarse I dident cut lose because why should I ware my arm out geting in shape in Dec. when Im probily going to quit the trip. joe Benz and bunny Hern and geo. Wiltse put on there sutes to and besides we pitchers they was dutch Schaefer and Speaker and sam Crawford and Buck Weaver and all as we did was toss the ball around a little and when steve Evans seen me come out in my uneform he says Why dont you ware that to supper and I says Why and he says because it looks like it was prest onct. I and Schaefer throwed back and 4th to each other for a wile and he says why dont you cut lose and I says you know why because may be Im not going to do no pitching on this trip and besides I says if I cut lose at you and you with out nothing but a finger glove I would burn your hand right off of you. He says I bet you wouldent and I says I bet I would and he says I bet you can throw a ball at me just as hard is you can throw it and it wont hurt my hand and I says What will you bet and he says $1.00 so I says all right your on and he says all right so I wound up and give him my fast 1 and he ducked out of the way of it and the ball went clear over the bord in to the Ocean and then he says pay me and I says I will not and he says why not it dident hurt my hand did it and I says No because you wasent game and ducked out of the way and what do you think of him Al trying to beat me out of $1.00 and if he is to cheap to pay his bet he can keep the money and well come but I win it fare and sqare and he knowed the ball would hurt his hand or he would not of ducked.
But that was the only time I cut lose on acct of I did not want to throw my arm out because whats the use and after a wile I went back in my birth room and got drest for dinner or lunch they call it on the Ship bord and I went in and had my dinner and then I come out doors again and Steve Evans was standing there yet and I says why dont you go in and have your dinner and he says I was waiting to find out what have they got on the bill a fair and see if theys any thing I like and I says how can you tell if you dont go in and he says I was waiting for you to come out so as I could look at your vest. Hes a funny fellow Al and springing stuff like that all the wile.
Well Al I will write you 1 more letter on the Ship tommorow and then we will be in Yokohama the next day and if I find out Im going to stay on the trip I will male you all the letters Ive wrote at onct.
Friend Al: Well Al just a note because wear all busy geting ready to land tommorow and packing up our stuff and its all exitemunt and evry bodys tickeled to deth about us being pretty near threw this part of the trip and may be they wont be no more trip for me accept the trip home on the R.R. because Im postive Florrie and little Als sick the both of them or I would of had a telegram or sevrel telegrams like the rest of the boys been geting from there famly.
Steve Evans come in to my rm. wile I was packing up and ast me if I had fixed up the employs of the Ship and I says what do you mean and he says you got to give evry body on the Ship bord a tip before you get off. What do you think of that for a robbers game Al. I says I will give a tip to the waiter that waited on the table where I ett at but he aint got a hole lot comeing to him because look how many times I did not eat nothing on acct of geting posoned at Seattle. But Evans says That dont make no diffrunts you got to give him a big tip and evry body else a tip and you got to give a tip to Stewart and the capt and the H. waiter and the valley that prest your dress sute so good evry day and I says I dont half to give the valley a nichol because he did not never come a round to press my sute and Evans says how did you keep it looking so nice then and I says it was on acct of it being a bran new sute and Evans says I thot it was ether that or else you slept in it, but any way you got to give the valley and all them other men a tip and I seen he ment it so I ast him how much and he says a bout a ¼ a peace for the valley and the H. waiter and my reglar waiter and Stewart thats the name of 1 of the head oficers and a dime for the capt. So its going to cost me a $1.10 for tips a lone and no wonder the crews on these here Ships wares such swell uneforms when they got a graft like that and you can see how it will amt. up if all the rest of our party comes acrost with $1.10 only of coarse theys some cheap stiffs in the party that will probily give them all a dime a peace and a nichol or may be 0 for the capt. Well if I got to do it I got to do it and I bet I do my traveling on trains after this where you dont half to give tips to the conductor and the brake man and the men that feels of the wheels to see is they a hot box.
But Steve Evans knows whats the right dope and I just found out hes been on a hole lot of trips in the Ocean and all over and one winter he saled clear up to the N. pole on a yat with a Dr. name Cook and thats where he lerned a bout scarring Sharks. And today he was teling me how to talk japan so as I could talk with the japans when we get there only of coarse he only told me a few words just so as I can talk to them because they will probily want to know how my arm feels and how I made the cubs look like a sucker. Heres some of the words he lerned me Al and you can practice them up and spring them on Bertha and you will have her wondring where did you lern to talk japan. I cant spell them very good but you can figure them out OK When you want to say you feel fine you say seem lick and when you want to say fast ball you say Zipp and when you want to say curve ball you say Hookem and when you want to pay them a complimunt and say how are all the japans you say Meeno likee Jap in knees. And thats all I can remmember Al and I will just stall a long with them but steve Evans can talk it just as good is I and you can talk plane englich.
And now I got to finnish up packing and try and get some sleep because we get to the Doc at Yokohama the 1st thing in the morning.
Friend Al: Well old Pal Im not comeing strate home from here like I thot I was and I will write you this letter and then rap all the letters up that Ive wrote and send them to you in 1 packige and it will probily cost me a peace of money for the stamps but you can have a hole lot of fun reading them to the boys and Bertha and it will be like as if they was all a long on the trip to hear me tell a bout it. I all ready spent a good eel of money today on acct of giveing all the crews on the Ship a tip but it was worth the money to see them smile when I give it to them and they was all tickeled to deth and the capt was so tickeled when I give him the dime that he says he would all ways hold on to it to remmember me by so I thot I might as well make it a good 1 and I give him an extra dime 1 to spend and 1 to hold on to to remmember me by. Well Al I didn’t get no word from Florrie and little Al but I know theys nothing the matter with them because Callahan found out a bout it for me and thats why Im going to make the rest of the trip and besides Mcgraw says he will leave me go in against them White Sox again in a day or 2 and I will give them the showing up of there life the lucky stiffs and if it had of been the reglar White Sox club I worked against and not no ringers from the other clubs I would of shut them out probily with out a hit. And an other thing that I spent some money on was post cards for Florrie and I sent her a ½ dollars worth of them only they dont call it no ½ dollar over here but a yen and I get all my money changed in to japan money and now I got 5 yens and a 100 sens in my pockit.
Well Al we come in to the harber at 7 a clock this a.m. and we seen what Evans says was the secret Mt. of japan and the name of it is pajamas and we stalled a round a wile in the harber and then some japan Drs. clumb up on the Ship bord and says we all had to be exammoned and Evans says it was because they wouldent leave us play against none of the japan clubs unlest we was all in grand shape so when the Dr. come up to me I says Well Dr. I guess you can see Im in grand shape just looking at me and I seen he dident under stand what I was talking a bout so I says seem lick to him in japan and he smiled and says some thing back in japan and Evans told me what was it he says and it was Your a fine looking goof and goof means athalete. Well all the boys past by the examon nation and I started to take my bagige off of the Ship and Callahan seen me with it and says Dont take your bagige because wear going to live on this Ship an other week yet and all as you want is your uneform role and then I had to tell him a bout may be I was going home on the train and he says What train and I says the train that runs on the over the land rout and he says who was giveing you that dope and I told him Schaefer was teling me a bout it and he says Well Schaefer dont know nothing because they quit runing them trains a mo. a go on acct of the atlanta Ocean geting flood it. He says If you want to go home you will half to go back the same way you come and your libel to run in to worst storms then you seen comeing this way. Well I says If I cant go on the train I aint crazy a bout going but train or no train I got to get home on acct of my wife and baby is sick and he says Who says they was and I says I have not herd nothing from them since I left and he says How could you hear from them and I says a telegram and Callahan says it would not of been possable for me to get no telegram on the Ship bord because they was no wires running out in the Ocean so then I says Well if theys no male here for me I will know there sick and he says How could they be male for you when your wife dident know you was going till you come and if she had of maled a letter that same night it couldent of got here till a wk. after we got here so I says well Im sure there both sick and if I cant find out nothing a bout it Im going home and find out a bout it and then Callahan says he was going to call up Chicago and he would find out for me so what could I do Al but leave my bagige on the Ship bord and then we got off on the Doc and road up to the grand Hotel and then I went out and got the post cards to send to Florrie and then we all went up to the Councils place and hes a american and evry body shook hands with him and then we ett our dinner and went out to the Tokyo collige ball park and they was a big crowd of japans to see us play and I wisht you could of herd them cheer when I went in to pitch. But if the game had of counted I wouldent never of went in there because I could tell the minut I beggin warming up that they was some thing the matter with the old super and you see I hadent warmed up or done nothing with it on the ship all them days and I wasent in no shape to work. At that if it had of been the reglar White Sox I was pitching against them I would of made them look like a sucker but Speaker and Crawford and Evans and them ringers was on the club and I could not fool them with my arm in the shape like it was and besides I hadent never worked with the N.Y. giants before and they wasent use to the sines I give when Im in there pitching so they dident move a round and cover the ground where I wanted them to and sevrel balls went for base hits that would of been ett up if the boys had played right for them. The White Sox beat us 9 to 4 or some thing and the score should ought to of been a bout 3 to 1 or 4 to 1 in our favor if they hadent of had all the luck in the world.
Well Al some of the boys wanted me to stick a round in Tokyo with them after the game but my arm was so sore I couldent hardily stand it so I come back to the Hotel here and now Im writeing this letter and when I get threw with it I guess I better call a Dr. in to look at my arm.
I come back from the ball grounds with Mcgraw and Callahan and Callahan says to Mcgraw Well may be youll have better luck with your own pitchers and Mcgraw says O no the boy here was all right today only we dident do nothing to help him so you see Al hes a real mgr and not no joke so no wonder he wins all them penants and if he had a man like I to deppend on he could do some thing in the world serious to. Well Callahan says You pretty near lost Jack this a.m. and Mcgraw ast how that was and Callahan told him a bout me worring a bout my famly and how I would of tooken the R.R. home if they hadent of stoped runing the trains and Mcgraw says Well Im glad we dident loose him because he will make you fellows look like a rummy when he gos in there feeling right. So Callahan says Thats what Im afrade of and I got a nosion to not find out a bout his famly when I call up Chicago because he says he wont stay on the trip unlest he finds out his famly is OK So Mcgraw says Well if you dont find out I will. So Callahan promused again that he would find out and hes going to call up Chicago right after supper and then I will find out and I would talk to Florrie my self only Callahan aint going to call up my house but is going to call up the girl at Centrel and get her to call up a bout evry bodys famly that aint a long on the trip and then tell him whats the news.
And theys going to be a banquit here tonight and Schaefer says I got to get up an other of them pones of mine and speak it so you see Al I better get busy and fix up some thing and tomorrow we go on the Umpires of japan to Kobe and may be Mcgraw will leave me in there again tommorow because my arm feels OK now. Well Al I got to get busy and fix up that pone and I guess this is some letter Im sending you and when you open it and see it I bet youll think I sent you the Bibble for xmas or some thing.
best to your self and Bertha and all my old pals.